Feb 6, 2021

Michigan Craft Beverage Council grants go to grape, cider apple projects

The Michigan Craft Beverage Council has announced that nine projects will receive funding through its 2021 research grant program.

The Michigan Craft Beverage Council (MCBC) recommended more than $274,000 in project support for research into agricultural inputs of craft beer, spirits, wine, and hard cider. Four of the proposals selected are continuation projects from the 2020 grant program that will continue to do additional research. In total, MCBC’s competitive grant program received 17 applications requesting more than $540,000.

“Michigan has become a national powerhouse in the craft beverage industry,” said Gary McDowell, chair of the Michigan Craft Beverage Council. “We’re innovative, trendsetting, and unmatched in the diversity and quality of our products. These grants were established with the sole purpose of keeping Michigan’s craft beverage industry among the most elite in the world, and this latest round will help ensure we do just that.”

The 2021 research grants align with the following research priorities of the Council: climate change impacts; crop quality including pest and disease management and soil health; and new varieties of hops, fruit, barley, rye, and other agricultural inputs used in craft beverage production.

Projects selected for 2021 research funding:

• Planting and seeding dates relative to malting barley
• Management of plant-parasitic pests in Michigan hopyards
• Evaluation of cereal rye varieties for craft distilling
• Late season disease management for hop and barley crop quality
• Influence of cluster rot on crop quality in Michigan vineyards
• Advancing the sterile insect technique in codling moth
• Diacetyl production, reduction and control in beers brewed with raspberries and other adjunct sugar sources
• Variety selection and nitrogen application for oat malting
• New apple varieties for Michigan hard cider production

At the close of the grant cycle, final reports will be posted to the Council’s website research database. The new database is designed to contain research funded through the Michigan Craft Beverage Council and the former program, Michigan Grape & Wine Industry Council. Searchable by keyword, author, year, category and crop, the database is designed to make the research of the Council easily accessed by industry members.

For more information about the Michigan Craft Beverage Council, including grants, grower connections, business support and a map of craft beverage licensees, visit michigancraftbeverage.com.

The Michigan Craft Beverage Council is a 10-member, governor-appointed board that is advisory to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, and was established to provide for research, marketing and promotion of Michigan agricultural products that are used in the production of Michigan craft beverages.